What's HCG

Human Communication Group (HCG), a subsidiary organization of IEICE, contributes development of human-oriented information and communication technology systems in conjunction with other academic societies such as psychology.

Human Communication Group (HCG) is dedicated to progress of academics, technologies and services, to promotion of education, and to creation of enriched communication society through interdisciplinary research survey activities on communications between people and those between human and surrounding environments. 

The widespread outbreak of COVID-19, also known as the new coronavirus, has made the year 2020 an extraordinary one in human history. Currently (in June 2020), new infections are still reported daily. The range of people’s activities is heavily restricted, and their lifestyle has been changed dramatically. One of the technologies that stand out as a crucial player in this situation is communications. Not confined to meetings in the workplace and lectures in universities and senior high schools, even drinking parties among friends and at nightclubs also use remote communication systems that allow many people to share audio and video simultaneously. Such systems have conventionally been used to some extent, but the current outbreak has compelled overnight the implementation of these systems on an unprecedented scale as a kind of enforced social experiment. A far greater number of people than before have begun to use remote systems, with the result that the advantages and shortcomings of the current systems are being revealed. People have recognized in a fresh light the problems related to security and the quality of exchanged information. It has become apparent that it is necessary to select an appropriate interface depending on the number of participants and the purpose of communication. Above all, people have realized that remote systems are more useful than they had previously thought. It was easy for me to imagine that remote systems could be useful for academic meetings and conferences. However, I would never have conceived that they would come in handy and add fun to drinking sessions. Even when the threat of COVID-19 or other infectious diseases has disappeared in the future, I am sure that there will be situations where remote systems continue to be used.

From antiquity, humankind has poured its efforts into the development of communication technologies. Starting with such primitive ones as smoke signals and drums, humans have invented mail, telephones, wireless telegraph, mobile phones, pagers, e-mails, smartphones, LINE (hereinafter proper nouns), Skype, Facebook, Zoom, to name just a few. New technologies are emerging in rapid succession. Recent changes are occurring so quickly that it is difficult to keep up. Some days years ago, I received a letter from a retiree in his 70s saying that he wants to enter our graduate school. In contrast, some students asked me whether he can use LINE, instead of e-mail, for daily communication. Whatever means is used, communication is of paramount importance for people everywhere. Even when the outbreak of a pandemic necessitates severe restrictions to be imposed on human behavior, a good part of people’s activities can be maintained, and they can still lead fun-filled everyday lives as long as an environment is in place that allows sufficient communication. The above introduction has become quite long, but the Human Communication Group (HCG) is where researchers working in the field of human communication-related technologies get together.

The HCG consists of many conferences: four Conferences Type 1 (Human Communication Science, Human Information Processing, Media Experience and Virtual Environment, and Well-being Information Technology), four Conferences Type 2 (Information Cognition and Behavior, Attractiveness Computing, and Comic Computing), and two Conferences Type 3 (Verbal/Non-verbal Communication, and Language as Real-time Communication). The Group studies human interaction in an agile manner from a variety of perspectives: psychology, sociology, linguistics, medical science, pedagogy, and art. While each of the above conferences normally holds meetings separately, all HCG members come together once a year in an HCG Symposium (which will be held remotely this year!) to enable researchers in different fields to have contact with each other. Through these activities, the HCG aims to develop human communication technology, which is expected to become increasingly diverse. As Chair of the HCG, I will work closely with group members to further energize the group’s activities and call for your cooperation.

Hirohiko Kaneko

Chair, HCG 2020